Sunday, January 30, 2011

This is going to be a short one tonight. I've been fighting a cold all weekend and really need to go to bed. If time allows later in the week and if I'm feeling better, I will try to get the details (including nutrition info) added. I do have some good stuff on the menu, so check it out. Enjoy and have a great week!

Place beans in slow cooker and cover with chicken broth. Add bacon, onion, garlic and chicken broth. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, or until beans are fork tender. In the bowl of a blender, process tomatoes and chiles with juices. Add to beans.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

It is definitely still winter in southwest Missouri, and Mother Nature definitely decided to prove that this past week. We got 5 inches of snow on Thursday, which is a lot for our area. The temperatures dropped down to single digits, and it didn't melt very quickly, so Corey and I ended up with two bonus days to our weekend. I know I will hate making them up in the spring, but it really is hard not to root for the snow day. I just think it's something we are programmed with when we are little and it sticks with us forever. :)

I used some of my bonus time to try out a couple of new recipes. I made some fabulous banana oat muffins that are low in fat but great on taste. Be sure to try them - they make a great breakfast paired with some Greek yogurt and fruit.

I also had a hankering (I told you I'm from southwest MO - that's hillbilly speak for craving) for something sweet, so I made a delicious cheesecake mousse. I topped mine with some blackberries, and it was simply divine. I did have to make sure I saved enough calories in my day to have this treat, but it was definitely worth the splurge.

My husband's parents came to visit this weekend so they could attend Corey's district band concert on Saturday, so I made one of my favorite soups for our weekend lunches - Comforting Chicken Noodle Soup. I love this soup not only because it's tasty, but also because it's low in calories at only 114 calories a cup.

Each week I make a different soup for my lunches. It makes it so much easier to have soups all packaged up and ready to put in my lunch box each day. This week's soup is Italian Sausage Lentil Soup. Don't let the picture fool you (it's hard to make lentils look pretty). It is nice and hearty and is a good source of fiber.

I have a couple of new items on the menu for this week, so I will post pictures as soon as I make them. Here's this week's menu. Enjoy and have a great week!

These low fat, lower calorie muffins taste incredible right out of the oven. I freeze them and then take one out as needed. Just pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds for that fresh-from-the-oven taste. I pair a muffin with some fruit-flavored Greek yogurt for a healthy, filling breakfast.

Don't let the photo fool you (it's hard to make lentils attractive). This is a nice, hearty soup with a little kick from the Italian sausage. It's high in fiber and great on taste. Using turkey Italian sausage keeps the calories and fat under control for this delicious soup.

Directions:
Remove sausage from casings and brown in no-stick pan. Once it is cooked, add sausage to large stock pot.

In the same frying pan, brown onions until softened. Add to stock pot. Add chicken broth, lentils, and seasonings to stock pot. Simmer on low, about 45 minutes, until lentils are softened but still hold their shape. Cook for 45 minutes more until lentils start to break apart.

Sometimes I simply crave diner food. You know what I'm talking about - greasy, gravy-covered stuff that tastes amazing. Well, this recipe satisfies my craving without giving me all of the grease and sodium that I don't need. Enjoy!

Directions:
To make the fries, heat oven to 450°. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray it with cooking spray. Combine all dry ingredients and combine with potatoes in large ziplock bag, tossing to coat. Drizzle with oil, tossing again to coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

While potatoes are baking, mix ground beef, garlic, onion powder, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Form meat into four equal patties. Brown burgers on both sides in large preheated skillet over medium heat. Cook until done.

Remove burgers from the pan and place a on plate. Cover to keep warm. Add flour to any remaining grease in skillet. Wisk together. Slowly wisk in the broth. Bring to a simmer and let mixture thicken to form gravy.

To serve, place 1/4 of the fries on a plate, top with a burger, and cover in gravy.

Directions:
In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and quinoa and cook for about 1 minute longer, stirring occasionally. Do not brown the garlic. Add the broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 12 minutes; the mixture will be brothy and the quinoa almost done. Stir in the spinach and mushrooms and simmer for 2 minutes longer, or until the quinoa turns transparent. Add the cheese. Season with the salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray (I use olive oil in a mister). Season fish filets with pepper and paprika. Bake in prepared dish for 12-14 minutes until fish flakes with a fork.

While fish is baking, mix sour cream, dill and the horseradish in a small bowl until smooth.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

I have completed three weeks of my healthier eating journey and I am now down a total of 6 pounds. The nice thing is that besides the numbers on the scale, I can notice a difference in the way I look and feel. For me, the weight will continue to come off slowly, in tenths of pounds per week, but it's so nice to know that eating the correct portion sizes of my meals is really doing the trick. :)

Our family had a very nice weekend together. Corey had math contest on Saturday and did very well. He placed 1st in the target round, 2nd in the sprint round, and received the 2nd place team trophy as a team of one! He also qualified to go to state. I am definitely a proud mom. :)

I've got a couple of new items on the menu this week, so I will post pictures once I make them. Next Saturday Corey has a band performance, so we will have to eat out. I've already planned ahead to make sure I can stay within my calorie range for the day. I highly suggest this to those of you who are watching your weight and are stuck in a situation where you have to eat at a restaurant. Pick a place that posts the nutritional information online, and you can "preorder" ahead of time and make a wise choice. :)

Here's this week's menu. For more menu ideas, go to orgjunkie.com. Enjoy and have a great week!

Create a slurry by combining 1/2 cup cold water with flour in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.

Combine chicken stock and milk into a large pot and slowly bring to a boil. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, thyme, pepper, and frozen vegetables and return to a boil. Partially cover and simmer on low until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove lid, add potatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, and slowly whisk in slurry. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until soup thickens.

Sprinkle pork chops on both sides with pepper. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160°. (You could also cook these on the grill.)

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, saute garlic in butter until tender. Sprinkle with flour; stir until blended. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add cheese and wine; heat through. Serve sauce with chops. Yield: 4 servings.

These were tasty steaks, but I was frustrated by the cooking method. I think next time I will try cooking them on the grill first, then adding the topping and heating it in the oven for a few minutes at the end. The marsala wine sauce was a great topping.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Another week of healthy eating can go on the books this week. :) I started tracking my food on SparkPeople on December 22 and I'm down 5 pounds from that time! That's a great feeling. What I love is that I have realized that I don't have to "diet" and eat boring foods. I'm eating the same healthy meals I've always cooked, but I'm controlling the portion sizes. I'm even able to eat sweets, as long as I budget for them in my calorie count for the day. Life is good when you know you can still eat pizza and chocolate cake. :)

I got good feedback on including the nutrition values of my recipes. I'm glad that others are finding them useful. I will go ahead this week and post my breakfasts and lunches again. Let me know if that is useful to you as well.

Here's this week's menu. For more menu ideas go to orgjunkie.com. Enjoy and have a great week!

Directions:
To make crust:
Dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the rest of the ingredients in and mix. Dump onto a floured surface. Knead into a smooth dough (five minutes or so). Roll out and press down onto a greased pizza pan.

Spread sauce on pizza crust and sprinkle with garlic powder, basil, and oregano. Top with sausage and the cheeses. Bake at 450 degrees F for around 12-15 minutes until the crust looks crispy and lightly browned.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

I had never had quinoa before tonight, but I kept it mentioned all over the place in food blogs and on running websites. So, I figured I would give it a try. Our family loved it! This was a nice side to use in place of rice. I actually cooked it in my rice cooker instead of on the stove, and it worked great.

Directions:
Place 1 cup quinoa, dressing mix and 2 cups water in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook until all water is absorbed (10-15 minutes). When done, the grain appears soft and translucent, and the germ ring will be visible along the outside edge of the grain.

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About Me

This blog is dedicated to helping those who struggle to answer the question, “What’s for dinner?” As a busy wife, mom, and elementary librarian, deciding what to make for dinner is one of my daily challenges. Menu planning has been my saving grace, so I hope that by sharing my recipes and menus, I can help others on their journey to meal-planning bliss!